I am a wife, a mother, and a baby stuff lover. I try to be eco friendly and green. I focus on healthy products to help improve our everyday lives.

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Breastfeeding

Nursing in public was very difficult for me in the beginning. Everything was uncovered while I tried to get the hang of nursing. I remember being so nervous the first time Bunny and I nursed in public. Trying to adjust the nursing cover while getting Bunny latched properly, all the while trying to make sure I wasn’t flashing anyone. Then Bunny and I would get sweaty because, lets face it, two warm bodies under what is essentially a blanket equals one hot mess. I would feel horrible every time my sweet tiny baby was done nursing and had a sweaty head. With this baby, I know I will not be using the traditional cover everything nursing cover. I have recently discovered Milkmade Nursing Cover and wish I had known about this when Bunny was an infant!

Milkmade Nursing Cover is a stylish nursing cover that doubles as a burp cloth. Milkmade Nursing Cover does not cover or enclose your baby’s head, but does keep you covered while nursing.

front side

back side

To use Milkmade Nursing Cover you simple put it on your shoulder like you would any burp cloth. You then hold the side with your hand while you adjust your clothing to free your breast. You can do this all while Milkmade Nursing Cover is keeping you covered. Once you are ready to nurse, you simply lift the flap and latch baby. You can cover baby’s face if you would like, or you can tuck the flap up and in the pocket to allow baby’s face to be free. Once you are done nursing you can easily move baby away from your breast while keeping your breast covered. My favorite part is you can burp baby while you are still covered. With my old nursing cover I hated having to adjust everything while Bunny was waiting to be burped. There is no huge blanket like cloth in the way with Milkmade Nursing Cover.

I have rather large breasts, while nursing Bunny I am an H cup. I sure hope I stay the same size when this baby starts nursing. Milkmade Nursing Cover fits me and covers me very well. Milkmade Nursing Cover also covers my friend who is a nice B cup. Milkmade Nursing Cover is designed to fit women of all sizes. Rest assured, this is really a one size fits all.

I can not stress how much I love Milkmade Nursing Cover and the fact that is does not cover my baby’s head. I really dreaded nursing in public when it was very hot outside. I wanted to be discreet for my benefit but did not want to overheat my baby. It was an internal struggle as to weather I should cover myself or should I let Bunny be comfortable when nursing. I am so thrilled to have found Milkmade Nursing Cover. I will no longer have to choose between my comfort and my baby’s comfort. Now we can both be comfortable while nursing in public.

Milkmade Nursing Cover has a handy pocket that is big enough for a pacifier, a nipple shield or even your nursing pad! I know I always wore a nursing pad and never knew where to put it when Bunny was nursing. With Milkmade Nursing Cover’s pocket, I will never lose my breast pad again! I always hated searching for that silly pad when I was done nursing.

I seriously love Milkmade Nursing Cover so much. This would make a GREAT baby shower gift. It is super small and easy to keep in your diaper bag. You don’t need a bunch of extra room for your nursing cover. I think every nursing mom should have at least one of these, if not one for every diaper bag.

Milkmade Nursing Cover is nice and thick, made of very soft material. It is very sturdy and looks like it can hold up to the test of time. I love how long Milkmade Nursing Cover is. When it is draped over your shoulder you don’t have to worry about baby barf getting on the back side of your shirt. Milkmade Nursing Cover covers part of your back. Milkmade Nursing Cover is two products in one!

I know I have been posting about breastfeeding/nursing products a lot recently. That is because, for the first year of Bunny’s life, MY life has revolved around breastfeeding. Bunny is now 16 months old and we have not weaned yet. But I am finally feeling like breastfeeding doesn’t rule my world and schedule. (Not that I minded when it did rule my world and schedule. I did not mind one bit!) Bunny is only nursing to fall asleep now. Which means I can FINALLY wear any shirt I want to! I don’t have to wear a nursing shirt anymore! My wardrobe is (almost) back to normal! It is crazy to think I can wear just about any shirt in my closet now! I don’t have to worry about exposing my stomach or too much breast. The world is my oyster! Or my closet is. It feels so nice to be able to wear all of my clothes again!

Don’t worry, I DO post about more than just breastfeeding! I have some really exciting product reviews coming up!!! I can’t wait to share them with you!!!

Pariday TendHer nursing pillows for your breasts are such a great invention. Pariday was founded by three women who experienced breastfeeding pain including sore nipples, plugged ducts, mastitis, cracked nipples, engorgement, a poor latch and more – and needed relief! They each came from a different background, spanning manufacturing design to brand management. But they all came to the same conclusion: the products available for soothing breastfeeding pain had immense room for improvement. TendHer Pillows was created by them to give other real moms a real solution.TendHer nursing pillows can be used hot OR cold! TendHer nursing pillows consist of pillows and pillowcases. The pillows are filled with cool on contact gel that is made with vegetarian food ingredients, safe for a nursing mom and her baby. The outside of the pillows are made of a soft, medical grade plastic film for maximum soothing. The pillowcases wick away moisture while preventing minor leaks. TendHer nursing pillows can be used warmed, cooled or at room temperature. The pillow cases are washable and reusable. TendHer pillows are the perfect size! TendHer pillows cover a large area of your nipple and breast and can be worn in your bra while in public.

TendHer pillows should last at least 4 weeks. If you keep them in the fridge or freezer, they will last much longer. Unless the pillows are starting to yellow or dry out, you can continue to use them indefinitely. TendHer pillow cases are washable and reusable. The pillow cases are very soft and comfortable.

TendHer pillow cases

TendHer pillows

I first tried the TendHer pillows at room temperature. When I put them on, I noticed they were cool. You can use TendHer pillows without the pillowcases when using them at room temperature. TendHer pillows are great for providing a cooling sensation while protecting your skin from touching fabric. There is no suggested time limit when using TendHer at room temperature. Keep them on your breasts as long as you desire!

TendHer pillows and pillowcases

Putting something cold on your breast can help with engorgement. Cold helps to decrease inflammation. With the TendHer nursing pillows, you can put the pillows in the refrigerator or freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes before using them. Once they are cool enough, insert the pillows into the pillow cases and wear them in your bra with the red stretchy fabric against your body. It is suggested to wear them for up to 20 minutes. The TendHer pillows get cold, but not too cold. They have found the prefect level of coldness for your breasts. I used the TendHer pillows cold and put them in my bra to soothe my tender nipples. The coolness lasted for the full 20 minutes when I wore my TendHer pillows. I must admit, I have worn TendHer pillows cold on hot days just to cool myself down. You can use TendHer cold whenever you would like a cooling sensation. But always use the pillowcases!

TendHer pillows are easy to insert in the pillowcases

Using heat when nursing is great for triggering a letdown. I would take a warm shower before I nursed or I used a hot rice bag. The rice bag would get WAY too hot. I couldn’t use it for very long. TendHer nursing pillows are the perfect temperature when heated! You heat TendHer pillows just like you would heat breast milk. To heat TendHer pillows, you immerse them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes. The water should not be hotter than what you would comfortably bathe in. After 5 minutes, take the TendHer pillows out, pat them dry, and place them in their pillowcases. Then wear them in your bra with the stretchy red fabric against your skin. The recommended time to wear TendHer warm is 10-20 minutes. When I wore the TendHer pillows, they were very warm but not too warm. I was able to feel the heat for about 15 minutes. The heat was not so intense that it burned me or I felt the need to remove the pillows. I would use TendHer pillows warm when I want to soothe sore nipples, increase milk flow or letdown, or just for comfort.

Discreet size, perfect for wearing anywhere!

To clean TendHer pillows, simply wash them in warm soapy water and pat dry or allow to air dry. TendHer pillow cases are machine washable, or you can wash them by hand. It is recommended to air dry the pillow cases.

TendHer pillows are very comfortable and soothing. When I was wearing TendHer pillows, I forgot they were even there. I used heat before almost every nursing session in those first few weeks. TendHer nursing pillows would have been so much better than my rice bags!

You can buy TendHer nursing pillows for $24.99 here. You can also enter to win TendHer nursing pillows!

I think every breastfeeding mom has had to deal with sore or cracked nipples. There are all sorts of creams that are supposed to help your nipples while being safe for baby. I tried a couple of the creams, but when I used them, Bunny would NOT nurse! It seemed like Bunny disliked the taste of the creams. Even if I would rub the cream off prior to nursing, Bunny still would not nurse. I had to wash my nipples before Bunny would nurse. Because of this, I started doing a little research to see what my options were to help with sore nipples. While I was researching I came across breast shells. Breast shells are typically a big huge plastic shell that keeps your nipple from touching your clothing. They did not look comfortable and looked very bulky. I wished there was a better option. I was not able to find any alternative here in the US until now! I was thrilled when I found these silver nipple shields!

Silver nipple shields are a natural alternative to plastic shields for sensitive or cracked nipples. Silver nipple shields are easy to use cups that sit over your nipple. They are one size fits all and are designed to be worn under a bra. The silver nipple shields are 925 sterling silver. Silver has natural anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and curing effects. Silver nipple shields can be used for painful, sore and/or cracked nipples, or as a precautionary measure to prevent these issues. Silver nipple shields trap breast milk, which helps cracked and sore nipples to heal. When using silver nipple shields, there is no need for creams or pads.

The silver nipple shields come in their own bag. The bag is wonderful to keep them in while not in use. I love when items come with something to store them in!

Outside of Silver Nipple Shields

The shield keeps your nipple from rubbing against your clothing, easing any pain or sensitivity you might have from nursing. I know during the first few months it was very painful at times when my bra, or even my nursing pad, rubbed against my nipples. Silver nipple shields help cracked nipples ease pain quickly by using your own breast milk to help heal your nipples. Freshly expressed breast milk, when applied to your nipples, will soothe your nipples and help reduce the chances of infection, because human milk has antibacterial properties. LLLI

Inside of Silver Nipple Shields

To use Silver nipple shields in conjunction with your breast milk, spread a few drops of breast milk all over the nipple and place the shield on top of your nipple, inside your bra. The Silver nipple shield won’t move and feels very comfortable. The Silver nipple shield creates a healing shelter by keeping your nipples in contact with breast milk as well as preventing your nipples from rubbing on your clothing or breast pads. You can wear breast pads on top of the silver nipple shields if you, like me, have an abundance of milk. Using both the silver nipple shields and breast pads will contain leakage and stop the breast pads from touching or sticking to your sore nipples. Wearing the silver nipple shields under a breast pad is helpful on those days when ANYTHING touching your nipples makes you want to cry.

The Silver Nipple Shields stack together to fit easily inside their bag.

The silver nipple shields are very easy to clean. To clean you sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda into each cup and add a couple drops of water until you make a paste. Then rub thoroughly all around the cups to remove any residue. Rinse and dry! It is suggested to clean the silver nipple shields a couple times per day if they are in use all day long.

If you have sore and/or cracked nipples, I highly suggest the Silver Nipple Shields. I did not have these when Bunny was a small baby, but I do know these would have been extremely helpful. I have used them often now. Bunny is 16 months old and nursing. I still have random days where my nipples are sensitive. On these days, the silver nipple shields are wonderful. Silver nipple shields are a MUST for nursing moms.

I am so excited to be able to give away a pair of silver nipple shields!

When I was pregnant with Bunny I saw Milkies Milk Saver in the store. I thought it looked weird and uncomfortable and I did not think it really had a valuable purpose. Because, really, nobody could possibly leak THAT much! Oh what little I knew!Once Bunny was born and we started nursing, one side per feeding, I realized how wrong I had been! I ordered Milkies Milk Saver immediately! They couldn’t get to me fast enough! When my Milkies Milk Saver arrived, I still thought it looked big and uncomfortable. I was pleasantly surprised when I used it! Milkies Milk Saver is VERY comfortable! I thought for sure having something pushing on my engorged breast would feel very uncomfortable, but Milkies Milk Saver does not push on your breast. It sits gently in your bra, against your breast. If you wear a tighter bra, it will definitely push more against your breast, but in the very beginning, I was only wearing sleep bras.

I used Milkies Milk Saver when I would nurse Bunny, and when I would pump. In the very beginning I had a single pump that only pumped one side at a time. If I did not use the Milkies Milk Saver, I would soak through my nursing pads. I could collect about an ounce or so of milk from the side that was not being used! If you have supply issues or are having a hard time keeping up with your baby’s intake, an ounce is a massive amount to waste in your nursing pad!

Using Milkies Milk Saver is very easy. You simply set Milkies Milk Saver in your bra with your nipple in the hole and nurse or pump on the other side! Milkies Milk Saver can comfortably hold 2 ounces of breast milk before you need to empty it. It is easy to switch from one side to the other side without spilling any milk. The only time I ever spilled any milk is when I forgot I had the Milkies Milk Saver on (it is that comfortable!) and I bent over. Out spilled all the milk! Oops! I have heard some women say they wear it all day long when they are out and about, but due to the spilling issue, I do not see that working very well.

2 ounces of milk

2 ounces of milk

Milkies Milk Saver is very easy to clean. You can hand wash it with warm water and soap. It air dries fairly quickly, or you can use a towel to dry it off.Milkies comes in a protective case that is great for storing your Milkies in when not in use. The case is a hard material to keep Milkies protected. The case also doubles as a stand. You can set Milkies in the case upright with milk inside. This is very helpful when you have a squirmy baby in your arms, when you need to put yourself back together after nursing, or when you need to grab a container to pour the milk into.

Milkies in the case

Milkies in the case

I absolutely LOVE this product! I used it multiple times a day for about a year. I am finally at the point where I do not leak every time I nurse. For those early days when I was leaking up a storm, this was a wonderful way to collect breast milk, and keep me from making a mess.

Milkies can sit in the case while you rearrange yourself, without spilling!

Bunny is 15 months old. She nurses five to eight times a day. We (I) have no intention of weaning anytime soon. Before I had Bunny, I thought we would nurse up to a year then stop. I thought, once she is old enough to run around, has more than 4 teeth in her mouth, and can ask for milk, surely she is old enough to not need it! Now that I am her Mom, I do not see why those things matter! I couldn’t imagine waking up on her first birthday and not nursing her anymore. Bunny loves to nurse, and I love it to. Yes, you read the right, I LOVE to nurse my baby. When our nursing relationship ends, I will be the sad one, not Bunny. I love the comfort nursing provides. I love the ease of it. (It was not easy in the beginning!) I love knowing my body is doing exactly what it is made to do. My breasts have a purpose, a real purpose, to feed my sweet child.

I always wondered what nursing a toddler would look like, so in case you are wondering the same, I will give you a small glimpse into our world.

Bunny wakes up in the morning and the first thing she does is nurse. Bunny sits up in her bed and cries for me, I lay down next to her and she closes her little eyes and nurses. I love this time in the morning. I feel it gives Bunny a chance to wake up slowly. She often closes her eyes for a few more minutes, then stretches and waves “Hi” to me. When she’s done nursing we like to lay in bed and laugh for no reason at all! What a way to wake up!

Bunny plays all morning, eats breakfast, snacks, and lunch. When it is time for nap, Bunny and I lay down in bed to nurse to sleep. I watch a movie or a t.v. show on my iPad while Bunny nurses to sleep.

When Bunny wakes up from nap, she likes to nurse. It used to be that Bunny would nurse before getting up from nap, but recently Bunny has wanted to play for 5-10 minutes before she nurses. I think this nursing session might be gone before too long. I cherish it every day, knowing one day it might be the last day she nurses after nap.

After nap Bunny has a snack, and plays some more. Bunny doesn’t often nurse again until bedtime. There are days she wants to nurse again between nap and bedtime, but it is not often, and she does not nurse for long.

When it is time for bed, Bunny nurses to sleep again. This time I lay quietly with her, with no iPad. I love to watch her fall asleep. She is so peaceful and so calm. She looks like my little baby when she is nursing to sleep. I love how she cuddles up to me and shares that special time with me.

Bunny wakes up two to three times a night to nurse. She doesn’t nurse for long, but she is definitely nursing. When she is done nursing, she rolls over and is back asleep. In fact, as soon as she is latched on, she is back asleep.

This may not be what your toddler does, every toddler is different. I love it and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love that when Bunny wakes up in the middle of the night, all it takes is a little milk for her to go back to sleep.

Bunny is a VERY active toddler. She rarely ever sits still. Unless she is nursing. I love being able to cuddle and connect with her while we nurse.

When Bunny learned how to sign milk, my heart melted. Now, Bunny can say milk and she rarely ever signs it. If I had done what I thought I would, stop nursing when my baby could ask for it, I would have stopped when Bunny was 10 months old!

I am very glad I am able to nurse, and that it comes with no complications now. I have many friends who are not as lucky as I am. I also have many friends who are DONE with nursing when their babies turn a year old. That is a okay! Every baby and mom relationship is different. One is not better than the other. We are all mothers, trying to do our best!

Luckily I have not received any criticism because I am still breastfeeding Bunny. If you are not as luck, here is some advice from Dr. Sears.

My Love, Bunny and I were so excited to attend the MommyCon in San Francisco! MommyCon is a convention dedicated to bringing mothers to be and modern parents together, along with brands and ideas that focus on the shared ideals. The focus is on natural parenting methods and timeless tidbits as we journey through parenthood together.

MommyCon had many vendors and booths, they were very informative and helpful. There were car seat specialists, slings, wraps and soft structured carriers, all there to answer questions and help you find the best product to fit your needs. It was wonderful to see so many babywearing moms! Everywhere I looked there was a happy baby attached to a person! Moms and Dads alike! There were nursing moms everywhere, not using covers and NOBODY cared! There was a nursing room for those who wanted to use it. There were seminars about amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding support, baby wearing, cloth diapering, car seat safety and more! The environment was very warm and friendly. I wish I could attend a MommyCon every weekend! I was happy to see some brands I already knew about, and thrilled to see some new brands and products I had never seen or heard before! I am so excited to try some of the new products! Alanis Morissette spoke at MommyCon but I sadly wasn’t able to hear her. Bunny was tired, too tired to stay.

Did you attend MommyCon? Did you hear Alanis Morissette speak? Leave a comment about your experience!

When Bunny was born she had a hard time nursing. When she was 3 days old she was diagnosed with a tongue tie. She still had trouble nursing even after it was clipped. When Bunny was 10 months old she was FINALLY diagnosed with an upper lip tie. I was very frustrated when we found this out, the ENT and Lactation Consultant should have check for a lip tie. Most of the time when there is a tongue tie there is also a lip tie. We were told it would be best to wait to correct the upper lip tie until her adult teeth were coming in, around age 6. The procedure would involve numbing her mouth, cutting the upper lip tie out, stitches in her lip, and multiple doctors visits. Doesn’t sound like fun. I so wish she was diagnosed with this when she was 3 days old, it could have been taken care of so easily then with little pain and little to no recovery time!

A few days ago Bunny fell, like a toddler is prone to do. She bumped her mouth and was bleeding. Her lip was fat, we assumed that was where the blood was coming from. She did not cry too much, and was happy with an ice cube. We didn’t think anything of it. Today, Bunny fell AGAIN! I guess I should get used to her falling, she is trying to go faster than her little legs allow! She seemed fine after she fell, no tears or anything. A few minutes later we were eating a bagel and I saw blood on her bagel. UH OH! I opened her mouth to see what was going on and much to my surprise I saw HER LIP TIE WAS NOT CONNECTED ANYMORE! She must’ve detached it when she fell!!!

The extra bit of skin on her lip used to be attached to her gum, in between her two front teeth.

This is GREAT! It means no correction is needed when she is older! No pain for her, no tears from me, no huge doctors bill. No trauma!!! I did NOT want my 6 year old to have to go through that. This also means Bunny’s adult teeth won’t have a gap between them! (Her gap is adorable right now.) Bunny’s lip tie was so bad she wouldn’t let me lift her upper lip to look at it, she would always fight me. I could never take a photo of it because she would thrash around whenever I tried to look at it for more than a second. The following photo is similar to what Bunny’s lip tie looked like before she fell.

I am so thankful a tiny toddler fall corrected her lip tie. I was hoping something would happen all on its own so my sweet little girl wouldn’t have to endure any pain later in life. Another bonus- Bunny was able to nurse WITHOUT the nipple shield, latching and unlatching all by herself for the FIRST TIME since we started using the nipple shield! 13 months old, maybe we can start weaning from the shield!!!